Philadelphia-area author Martino releases new 9/11 anniversary-themed thriller

Like it or not, the topic of 9/11 has been much written about, and finds its way into films, TV, music.

Click here for an interesting list of 11 of the Best Books About 9/11 as chosen by Flashlight Worthy, a blog of book recommendations.

One Philadelphia-area writer has penned a book that features his own personal, yet fictional, twist on the upcoming anniversary of the attacks.

Dr. Rocco Leonard Martino, recently published his latest novel "9-11-11: The Tenth Anniversary Attack" (Bluenose Press, 528 pp., 2010, hard copy: $17.95 E-Book: $12.95).

Martin said he was inspired to write this political thriller "to address the need to avoid complacency and to counterattack with cyber warfare," according to a press release. It's also a timely story, with the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks coming up in 7 months.

“In my doctoral thesis, I worried about the re-entry of space vehicles. In this novel, I worry about how to defeat the terrorists and their deadly obsession," said Martino, pictured below in a publicity photo. "In this work of fiction, I propose some ideas.”

Below is a synopsis of the story provided by Bluenose Press:

Mark Striker is an extremely successful cyber consultant, avid sailor, and world traveler. Mark is an ordinary, yet dedicated, American citizen who soon finds himself involved in a world of terrorist plots, international finance on a grand scale, and high stakes intrigue jeopardizing his fellow citizens and beloved country.

Mark joins government forces in an attempt to undermine the terrorists with our finest 21st century capabilities: launching a Cyber War to foil the enemy. Will Mark and his team succeed?
Not only are millions of lives at stake, but the fate of planet Earth as we know it. Failure is not an option.

Per his biography, Martino is chairman and CEO of CyberFone Technologies Inc., and is a senior fellow in the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia. His publicist also touts him as a an international authority on finance, planning, space flight and computer systems.

A native of Toronto who immigrated to the U.S. in 1962, Martino graduated summa cum laude from the University of Toronto in mathematics and finance. He earned a Ph.D. from the Institute of Aerospace Studies for work in the re-entry of space vehicles. Martino is a pioneer and international authority in the planning and use of computers, and originated many of the methods in use today.

Martino is the author of 20 published books, including "Finding the Critical Path," "Resources Management," "Dynamic Costing (American Management Association)," "Integrated Manufacturing Systems" and "Management Information Sciences" (McGraw-Hill). He is also the author of a satirical novel called "The Plot to Cancel Christmas," also published by Bluenose press.

"I decided to write this political thriller as a means to address the need to avoid complacency," he said in a statement. "I believe America as a nation has become too comfortable. Our nation must be on guard, and as such, find a manner in which to counteract future terrorist threats."

He continues, "Although written as fiction, I hope readers will take the message this novel presents seriously. In this work of fiction, I utilize the protagonists to propose ideas on how to defeat the terrorists and their deadly obsession. Thus, I urge readers to consider the future
as they read about this timely topic."

Martino said he believes the possibility of a 9/11 10th anniversary attack is "all too plausible."

"Immediately following the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001, there was a collective sense of nationalism that swept the nation as Americans remembered and honored the lives lost. This sense of nationalism has diminished greatly. Has America taken the proper action necessary to prepare for a future attack?"

He concludes, "I would be glad to be proven wrong about an attack on the 10th anniversary. I only hope that America is prepared either way."